25 minTraditional Van Herb Cheese
A unique breakfast delicacy prepared with endemic herbs of Eastern Anatolia, matured in brine.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Time
- 60 min
- Servings
- 8
- Calories
- 280
- Level
- Moderate
- Heat
- Mild
- Region
- Anatolia
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-free
Servings8
Measures
1 cup is 200 ml. 1 tea glass is 100 ml. 1 tablespoon is 15 ml. 1 dessert spoon is 10 ml. 1 teaspoon is 5 ml.
Ingredients
- 3 liters raw cow or sheep milkInstead: oat milk
- 1 teaspoon rennet
- 1 tablespoon rock salt
- 1 bunch fresh sirmo (wild garlic)
- 1 bunch mendi herbs
- Half bunch wild mint
- For brine: 1 liter water and 1 tea glass rock salt
Calories are an editor’s estimate per serving, not a lab measurement.
Method
- 1
Heat the milk in a pot to 35°C (comfortable for your pinky finger).
- 2
Add rennet, stir gently, cover the pot and let it set for 1 hour.
- 3
Cut the formed curds into squares, transfer to cheesecloth, and press with a weight to drain.
- 4
Wash the herbs (sirmo, mendi, mint), chop finely, blanch lightly and dry.
- 5
Crumble the drained cheese, mix thoroughly with salt and chopped herbs, and shape into small rounds or blocks.
- 6
Pack the cheese tightly into sterilized jars, fill with the prepared brine, and mature in a cool place for at least 1 month.
Note. For an authentic flavor, it is crucial that the sirmo and mendi herbs used are fresh and harvested in season.
Questions
Which herbs are used in Van herb cheese?
Traditionally, mountain herbs such as sirmo (wild garlic), mendi, helis, wild mint, and thyme are used.
How long should the cheese rest in brine?
It is recommended to keep it in brine for at least 4 to 6 weeks for the cheese to mature and absorb the herbal aromas.
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